Unsinkable ship.



M. E. LINDSEY.

UNSINKABLE SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-29. 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

' IVI. E. LINDSEY.

UNSINKABLE SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-29| 19|?.

. Patented. Apr. 30, 1918.

,1r marc.,

MARY E. LINDSEY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

UNSINKABLE sian?.

1,ac1,a11.

Application led` August 29, 1917. Serial No. 188,781.

To all 'whom it may concern: l

Be it known that l, MARY E. LiNDsnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the county of Orleansand State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Unsinkable Ships; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in ships, more especially the means for vprotecting the same from torpedoes, mines and the like. i j

rlhe object ofthe present invention is to provide a'simple, practical and efficient construction designedvfor use on both old and newvessels and capable of reducing to a minimum the effect of a projectile, torpedo,

mine or the like, Aandfcapable of enablingopenings in a hull, to be effectively closed temporarily for excluding the -water from the interior of the vessel until there is an opportunityfor permanent repair.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a vessel provided with a protecting structure constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the manner of closing an opening.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the vessel showing the construction applied to a new ship.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the lineV4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the armor sections.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patenten am. ao, 1a1e.

4, in which the construction is shown applied to an old vessel or ship after Jthe same has been constructed and it is desired to protect the same, 1 designates the hull of the vessel to which is applied in spaced relation thereto an outer shell 2 `which may be constructed of any suitable material either wood or metal and which is spaced by ribs 3 similar to the ordinary construction of ribs of a ship. The hull 1 may be of either wood or metal and `it is designed to be provided above a floor lor deck 4 with suitable doors 5 adapted to afford access to the space between the'inner and outer hulls. The space between the inner and outerhulls below the deck 4, which is located above the water line, is divided by inner and outer walls 6 and 7 into outer intermediate and inner spaces 8, 9 and 10. The outer wall 6 may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably tongue and grooved wood or boards, to provide a water-tight wall which is connected at the lower edge with the inner 'wall 7 near the eXtreme bottom or keel of the vessel. The space 9, which also "receives the ribs 3, is designed to be filled with any suitable material such as tar and cinders, and the filling is designed to` extend to a point above the water line, preferably adj acent to the deck 4.

' The deck-4 is provided withdoors 12 and 13 at the spaces 9 and 10 to afford access to the same. The intermediate space 9 between the inner and outer walls 6 and 7 receives armor sections 14 consisting of compressed cotton 15 maintained in a compressed condition by bands 16 and arranged within an outer cage or frame 17 of woven wire or netting, a covering or envelop 18 of asbestos or other suitable material being interposed between the wire cage or frame. The bales or blocks constituting the armor sections are forced in the said intermediate space 9 and they may be of various sizes and shapes and of a configuration to adapt them to entirely fill, 0r practically entirely fill, the space 9 at the areas where the hull is subjected to danger from projectiles, torpedoes, mines and the like. The `doors 12 aHord access to the spaces and are arranged at suitable intervals so as to enable acks 19 of any desired construction either 'automatic or otherwise operable for compressing the armor sections within the intermediate space 9 to close up a hole and prevent ingress of water.

The inner wall 7, which is preferably constructed 0f metal, may of course be made of any suitable material, and the doors 13 are adapted to afford access to the space 10 to enable the inner hull to be temporarily repaired, which Amay be eiiected by any suitable means. When the construction is applied to new Vessels, the inner hull 20 preferably extends only to the deck 4, the space at the inner hull above the deck being` open to the outer hull thereby increasing the capacity of this portion of the Vessel. The rest of the construction 1s similar to that .heretofore described andv a detail explanayconsisting oit bales of compressed cotton,

and means for enabling the bales or sections to be compressed within the sai(` space for closing an opening caused by a projectile.

2. A ship of the class described including inner and outer hulls, said ship being previded between the inner and outer hullswith a space having openings at the top thereof,

bales within said space, closures for the said openings, and means operable through the Vsaid openings Jfor compressing the bales within the said space for closing an opening caused by a projectile.

3,. A .vessel of the class described including inner and outer hulls, inner and outer walls arranged in the space between the inner and outer hulls and forming inner, outer and intermediate compartments, a top wall located above the said walls and provided with doors for aii'ording access to the inner and intermediate compartments, armor sections composed of bales of compressed i'ibrous material arranged in the intermediate space, and means operable exteriorly of the said space Jfor compressing the armor sections for closing an opening caused by a projectile.

et. A vessel of the class described includfing inner and outer hulls, inner and outer walls ar 1ang'ed in the space between the inner and outer hulls and forming inner, outer and intermediate compartments, a top wall located above the said walls and provided with doors forming access to the inner and intermediate compartments, armor sections composed oi bales of compressed fibrous material arranged in the intermediate space, and means located at the top of the intermediate compartment ior compressing the armor sections within the said intermediate space or compartment.

5. A ship of the class described including spaced inner and outer hulls, a deck located abore the water line, said inner hull 'being provided at the deck with doors to afford access to the space between the hulls, armor sections consisting oi` blocks of compressed iibrous material arranged in the space between the inner and outer hulls and located below the said deck, and means ior compressing the armor sections within the said space for closing an opening caused by a projectile.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature Vin presence of two witnesses.

MARY E. LNDSEY.

lVitnesses LoUIs VrLLnRn, M. MAnrnLLo.

Gopies of this patent-may be obtained Vfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' 'Washingtom 13.0. 

